Predictive and counter predictive visual stimuli

ABSTRACT

Dynamic visual indicators such as counter-predictive indicators are applied to apparel and apparatus for activities such as athletics. The counter-predictive indicators are configured to provide an indication of wearer/user orientation or anticipated future movement that differs from a true orientation or actual movement. Alternatively, the predictive indicators can be provided to reinforce or heighten perception of wearer/user orientation or anticipated future movement. In some examples, dynamic visual indicators provide apparent body axes that are tilted or displaced from a wearer&#39;s actual body axis. Such dynamic visual indicators can be selected based on measured responses to activity specific images or events.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure pertains to methods for configuring athletic apparel toenhance or reduce accuracy of visual estimations of anticipated playermovements.

BACKGROUND

Apparel for a variety of activities has been customized to provide forwearer safety and comfort, or for aesthetic reasons. For example,athletic team uniforms are often provided in bright colors orconstructed of materials that wick perspiration or control heat loss.Athletic attire is frequently decorated to be visually appealing, or toinclude markings associated with team sponsorship. Apparel for these andother activities can be configured for functionality as well as to aidin the identification of the wearer as a member of team or other group.

While apparel has been configured to enhance individual comfort andperformance for many activities, typical ornamented uniforms and apparelmerely promote wearer comfort or provide stylish appearance. Suchapparel does not reflect important aspects of wearer dynamics, andimproved apparel is needed that can provide additional functionality.

SUMMARY

According to representative methods, at least one dynamic visualindicator is selected and applied to an object, such as, for example, ateam uniform or other apparel for one or more selected activities. Insome examples, the at least one dynamic visual indicator is a predictiveindicator. In other examples, the at least one dynamic visual indicatoris a counter-predictive indicator. In additional examples, the at leastone dynamic visual indicator is associated with an apparent orientationof an object axis. In other illustrative examples, the at least onedynamic visual indicator is applied so as to provide an apparent objectaxis that is tilted with respect to a corresponding actual object axis.

Articles comprise at least one dynamic visual indicator. Inrepresentative examples, the dynamic visual indicator is acounter-predictive indicator or a predictive indicator. In furtherexamples, the dynamic visual indicator is situated to establish anapparent axis that is tilted with respect to a corresponding actualaxis. In additional representative examples, a second dynamic visualindicator is provided, wherein the first dynamic visual indicator is acounter-predictive indicator and the second dynamic visual indicator isa predictive indicator. In other examples, the article is a teamuniform. In still further examples, a dynamic visual indicator isconfigured to obscure a hip angle.

Methods comprise selecting an activity and defining at least one dynamicvisual indicator associated with performance of the selected activity.In representative examples, the dynamic visual indicator is applied toan article associated with the selected activity. In other examples, thedynamic visual indicator is a counter-predictive indicator or predictiveindicator associated with at least one motion encountered with theselected activity. In still further examples, the dynamic visualindicator is defined as a predictive indicator associated with at leastone motion encountered with the selected activity. In additionalrepresentative examples, the dynamic visual indicator is defined toprovide an apparent orientation of the article. In some examples, theapparent orientation is substantially misaligned with an actualorientation and in additional examples, the apparent orientation issubstantially aligned with an actual orientation.

These and other features are described in detail below with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1D are front views illustrating examples of sports uniformsthat include dynamic visual indicators configured to disguise a hipangle.

FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate additional uniforms that include dynamic visualindicators.

FIGS. 3A-3B are schematic diagrams illustrating dynamic visualindicators configured to obscure a body centerline or a body rotation.

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate occluded views of a football player used toevaluate and select dynamic visual indicators.

FIG. 4D is an unoccluded view of the football player of FIGS. 4A-4C.

FIG. 5 is a view of a system for evaluating dynamic visual indicators.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed methods and apparatus should not be construed as limitingin any way. Instead, the present disclosure is directed toward novel andnon-obvious features and aspects of the various disclosed embodiments,alone and in various combinations and subcombinations with one another.Moreover, the methods and apparatus are not limited to any specificaspect or feature, or combinations thereof, nor do the disclosed methodsand apparatus require that any one or more specific advantages bepresent or problems be solved.

Although the operations and function of some of the disclosed methodsand apparatus are described in a particular, sequential order forconvenient presentation, it should be understood that this manner ofdescription encompasses rearrangement, unless a particular ordering isrequired by specific language set forth below. For example, operationsdescribed sequentially may in some cases be rearranged or performedconcurrently. Moreover, for the sake of simplicity, the attached figuresmay not show the various ways in which the disclosed methods andapparatus can be used in conjunction with other methods and apparatus.Additionally, the description sometimes uses terms like “determine” and“evaluate” to describe the disclosed methods. These terms are high-levelabstractions of the actual operations that are performed. The actualoperations that correspond to these terms will vary depending on theparticular implementation and are readily discernible by one of ordinaryskill in the art.

For purposes of this disclosure, the word “including” has the same broadmeaning as the word “comprising”. In addition, words such as “a” and“an”, unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, include the plural aswell as the singular. Thus, for example, the requirement of “a feature”is satisfied where one or more of these features are present. Inaddition, the term “or” includes the conjunctive, the disjunctive andboth (a or b thus includes either a or b, as well as a and b).

The disclosure provides representative examples of apparel configuredfor team sports such as football, soccer, basketball, hockey, paintball,or other sports. In other examples, apparel for individual sports suchas tennis, fencing, martial arts, or other activities can be provided.These examples are illustrative only, and apparel, equipment, and otheritems for other sports and non-sports activities can be configured in asimilar manner.

While activity apparel, accessories, and apparatus can be configured toenhance or reduce wearer visibility, such items can also be configuredto enhance or attenuate the anticipation or “prediction” of futurewearer movements or to enhance or attenuate visual determinations ofprecise body orientation and location. For example, many sporting,athletic, and other recreational and professional activities are basedon precisely locating an opponent or teammate, and anticipating themovements of the opponent or teammate. For example, knowing the preciseposition and body orientation of a soccer opponent or teammate on asoccer pitch can aid in accurate prediction of the opponent's orteammate's future movements such as a kicking direction, or direction ofa cut. A goalkeeper must estimate a probable direction or location foropponent activities—i.e., will the opponent target a particular portionof the goal, or dribble to a particular location. A basketball defendermust similarly assess an opponent's likely next move—to shoot, pass,continue dribbling ahead, cross-over, reverse, or take some otheraction. Improved estimates of position, orientation, and likely movementand can substantially improve a participant's effectiveness incountering an opponent or assisting a teammate. In these and otheractivities, a participant can take advantage of her perception ofopponents and/or teammates to anticipate likely future moves. Similarly,a participant's apparel can be configured to hinder accurate predictionof participant movements or actions. Thus, dynamic visual indicators canbe provided to heighten or attenuate perception of wearer orientation orto heighten or diminish accuracy of predictions of subsequent wearermovements.

Predictive and Counter-Predictive Apparel

Enhanced or attenuated visual estimations can be conveniently based onactivity indicators that are defined on items of apparel or other itemsby configuring one or more portions of the items to have visuallydistinct colors, patterns, contrast, hues, color saturation, colorvalues, shapes, or sizes. These patterns can be selected and applied toplayer uniforms to aid in defining or confusing an orientation of ateammate or opponent, or a likely next motion or direction of motion.These indicators can be applied to other articles as well. Visualindicators applied to enhance or confuse determinations of objectorientation or likely next movement are referred to herein as “dynamicvisual indicators.” Some such indicators can be applied to enhance orconfuse perceptions of, for example, a player's orientation, oranticipated movements. Dynamic visual indicators configured to reduce orattenuate visual perceptions that facilitate estimations of likelyfuture player movements are referred to herein as counter-predictiveindicators. Dynamic visual indicators configured to heighten visualperceptions that facilitate estimations of likely future playermovements are referred to herein as predictive indicators. Indicatorsconfigured to confuse an orientation of a player or an object differfrom conventional camouflage which attempts to conceal the presence of aperson or thing. In some examples, dynamic visual indicators areconfigured to be easily noticed, but to produce a visual perception thatan object is somewhat displaced or tilted with respect to its actualposition or orientation.

While in some examples, dynamic visual indicators are situated based onbody axes such as head-foot/feet, head-hip, hip-hip, knee to knee,shoulder to shoulder, ankle-to-ankle, foot to shoulder, knee toshoulder, gaze direction, in other examples, other vertical, horizontal,or diagonal axes can be used based on elbows, ankles, feet, head tilt,body tilt or lean, or other orientation/position indicators. Inaddition, placement of visual indicators can be based on body twist,rotations, or apparent locations of body parts. In some examples, visualindicators can be applied to athletic or other activity specificclothing or protective gear to enhance or reduce visibility of selectedactivity alignments such as, for example, body position.

Application of activity specific dynamic visual indicators to uniformsor other activity-specific apparel is only a representative example.Such activity specific indicators can be applied or attached not only touniform garments such as shorts, skirts, pants, socks, hats, shirts,jerseys, sweatbands, and shoes, but to other activity-associated itemssuch as helmets, headgear, helmet chin straps, pads, gloves, facemasks,protective gear, baseball or softball bats, racquets, mitts, hockeysticks, or other items. Such items can be provided with indicators thatheighten or attenuate activity specific perceptions, or both heightenperception of one or more selected actions or motions and attenuateperceptions of one or more other actions or motions. Indicators can beapplied to other items such as cars, trucks, planes, bicycles, boats,skateboards, balls, hockey pucks, or other items in which changes inmotion or likely movements are to be observed and/or anticipated, or inwhich perception and anticipation of changes in motion or likelymovements are to be diminished.

With reference to FIG. 1A, a soccer uniform 100 is provided with avisual indicator 102 situated in proximity to a waistband 103 of uniformshorts 104. A jersey 106 is configured to provide a visual extension ofthe indicator 102 to a participant's upper body, and, as shown in FIG.1A, the jersey is substantially a single color, shade, or pattern thatmatches or otherwise corresponds to the activity indicator 102. Theindicator 102 tends to confuse visual attempts to precisely locate thewear's waist or body orientation, and attenuates the effectiveness ofattempts to anticipate likely subsequent motions based on waistlocation, location of a vertical body centerline, or hip angle. Theindicator 102 can be defined by, for example, coloring, shading,patterning, or texturing appropriate portions of the uniform shorts 102.Indicator definition can be associated with seams, fabric changes,printing, or application of tiles or pattern segments of othermaterials. Both front and back sides of the uniform 100 can be similarlyconfigured, but different indicators can be provided on the front andback, and additional indicators can be provided on the sides, front, orback in addition to the indicator 102 shown in FIG. 1A. Appearance ofteam uniforms is typically important to teams and players, and theuniform 100 can be configured to be visually pleasing and acceptable toparticipants. Although provided with the indicator 102, the uniform 100can also include conventional team insignia or other traditionalfeatures.

Referring to FIG. 1B, a uniform 120 includes an indicator 122 havingportions 124, 126 assigned to a jersey 128 and portions 130, 132assigned to shorts 134. FIG. 1B shows only a front view, and theindicator can be configured to extend to a back of the uniform, or theback can be provided with other indicators, or merely ornamented withteam colors, insignia, a player number, or other such features. Thejersey 128 and the shorts 134 can be ornamented similarly, or differentadditional indicators provided. While the indicator of FIG. 1B isdefined in portions of both the jersey and the shorts, in otherexamples, similar indicators are applied to either the shorts or thejersey. In such examples, different indicators can be provided on theshorts and the jersey, or the same indicator can be applied to producevisual misestimations of different axes or orientation directions. Asshown in FIG. 1B, a right hand side of the uniform is relatively darkerthan a left hand side, and visual estimation of a location of acenterline, a hip angle, or other aspect of a wearer's orientation canbe impaired or confused.

FIG. 1C shows a uniform 140 that includes an indicator 142 that includesportions 144, 146 defined on a jersey 148 and shorts 150, respectively.The indicator 142 is situated about a waistband of the shorts 150 and acorresponding lower portion of the jersey 150. The portions 144, 146 ofthe indicator 142 include respective irregular edges 152, 154. In otherexamples, the edges can be more or less irregular.

Another example sports uniform 160 is shown in FIG. 1D. Shorts 164 andjersey 166 include respective portions 168, 170 and 172, 174 of anactivity indicator 176. The indicator is shown as several dark regionssituated on a light background, but can also be provided as lightregions on a dark background. As noted above, such indicators can bedefined as a combination of dark and light areas, colors, textures,patterns, reflective and non-reflective tiles, or otherwise defined.Indicators can also be defined as relatively dark areas on a lightbackground, or as relatively light areas on a dark background, and canbe configured as predictive or counter-predictive indicators.

Representative configurations that disguise a player hip angle andpresent an apparent hip angle are illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2D. Withreference to FIG. 2A, a uniform includes misaligned graphics 202, 204situated at or near a player waist. A pattern 206 of dots is provided ona dark background on one arm, and a similar pattern 208 of dots isprovided on a light background on the other arm. Additional graphics210, 212, 214, 216 can be provided on uniform shorts. Referring to FIG.2B, an actual hip angle 220 and an apparent hip angle 222 are shown.Referring to FIG. 2C, a uniform includes a graphic having a pattern edge224 that is tilted at an angle 225 from vertical and that extends from ajersey 226 toward a player's waist as worn. The pattern edge 224 canextend onto shorts 228 as well. This pattern edge 224 tends to reduceactual hip angle visibility. In another example shown in FIG. 2D, a mesh230 is provided having a tilted edge 232 that also tends to disguise hipangle, and provide an apparent hip angle as well.

With reference to FIG. 3A, a sports uniform 300 includes a jersey 302and shorts 304 that have pattern portions 306, 308, 310 and 312, 314,316, respectively, that form an activity indicator having a jerseyportion and a shorts portion. The pattern portions are shown as circlesof different sizes, but can be otherwise configured so that, forexample, the pattern portion 306 appears larger than pattern portions308, 310. The pattern portions 306, 308, 310 can be associated withcolors, textures, or patterned regions of other shapes such as stripes,squares, rectangles, triangles or other shapes. The pattern portions312, 314, 316 can be similarly arranged and, in some examples, are orthe same size as corresponding pattern portions on the jersey 302.

A sports uniform 350 with an indicator similar to that of FIG. 3A isshown in FIG. 3B. The sports uniform 350 includes a jersey 352 andshorts 354 that have pattern portions 358, 360. 362 and 364, 366,respectively, that form an activity indicator having a jersey portionand a shorts portion. In contrast to FIG. 3A, these pattern portions aretilted with respect to a vertical axis when the uniform is worn, and thewearer is standing substantially erect. The pattern portions cancontinue as illustrated to a back side of the jersey 352, the shorts354, or both, or different indicators (or none at all) can be applied tothe backs of either. The pattern portions 362, 364, 366 can be similarlyarranged and, in some examples, are or the same size as correspondingpattern portions on the jersey 352.

Indicator Selection and Verification

While indicators can be selected without confirmation of theireffectiveness, suitability of any particular indicator can be evaluatedin various ways. For example, in selection and verification for sportingapplications, occlusion testing can be used in which portions of aplayer's body are blocked from the view of one or more test subjects.Representative occlusion configurations applied to a soccer player areshown in FIGS. 4A-4D. In response to an occlusion configuration, one ormore test subjects are asked to indicate a likely subsequent playerdirection of motion with a joystick, mouse, or other pointing device.Alternatively, test subject eye movements can be observed and/orrecorded and used to estimate motion anticipated by test subjects.One-on-one or group game situations can be projected as static images oras motion sequences and the test subject can be directed to react as amember of either team shown. Subject gaze directions can be determinedfor situations in which dynamic visual indicators are used to enhance orconfuse a response, or in which such indicators are omitted. In someexamples, occluded motion sequences can be presented to test subjects.Different portions of a player's body can be occluded in testing, andtwo or more unconnected portions can be selected.

Test conditions can also be presented in context of particular gamesituations. For example, soccer player location, orientation, andexpected movement can be differently evaluated depending on whether thetest subject has placed an occluded or unoccluded player image (ormotion sequence) at or near his own goal, near an opponent's goal, or atmidfield. In addition, test subjects can be instructed that the occludedimage is associated with either a teammate or an opponent.

In some examples, one or more test subjects can be positioned on touchpads, and test subject movements and reactions to player motionobserved. Observed and/or recorded eye movements can be used. Typically,test subjects have some or extensive playing experience in a particularsport of interest. During testing, test subject anticipation can beevaluated along with other test subject perceptions such as test subjectdepth perception, field of view, visual acuity, color vision, andreaction time. In some examples, test subjects stand on suitable testpads, and respond directly as if participating in the activity for whichthe indicator is intended. Test subjects without playing experience canalso be used. Responses of such test subjects can be used to assessvisual cues and other visual indications that are learned by experiencedparticipants, and can serve for player training and to evaluate playerdevelopment. Responses can also be measured in association withparticular player experiences. For example, a motion sequence associatedwith a shot on goal in a soccer match can produce different responses inexperienced goalkeeper and an experienced forward.

While presentation of a single occluded player image is particularlysimple, in other examples, test subjects can be placed in three versusthree (3v3) or other multi-player situations that can be encountered ina game. In 3v3 testing, a whole player can be occluded, or portions ofone or more players can be occluded.

A representative configuration for test subject evaluation of a selectedindicator is shown in FIG. 5. A test subject 500 is situated on footpadssuch as representative footpads 502, 504 that are in communication witha personal computer or the like and provide indications of test subjectmotion or position in response to one or more selected occluded orunoccluded images or motion sequences. A viewing screen 506 is situatedto display appropriate static images and motion sequences. An eyetracker can be provided to determine test subject gaze direction, andother stimuli such as crowd noise, player communications, lightingconditions, etc can be provided. Player physical characteristics can berecorded, such as heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration, temperature,and any correlation or association with the presented images or motionsequences. Reaction times can be recorded as well as body positioningwith in response to the images or motion sequences.

Although specific patterns, colors, and the like are shown in the aboveexamples, indicators can be configured in various ways. For example, apattern that includes a plurality of parallel stripes can be distortedto have an appearance similar to that produced by an athlete wearingsuch a pattern, or regular or irregular series of dots of the same ordifferent sizes or other types of patterns can be used. Indicators canbe selected to provide a selected visual impact value. For example, arelatively large pattern region having relatively low contrast can havea visual impact value that is similar to that obtained with a smallerpattern region having higher contrast. Visual impact values can be basedon size, color, contrast, or other visual parameters. In addition,indicators can be associated with visual centers based on an apparentcenter of the indicators as viewed in, for example, activity-specificlighting conditions, or in general daylight illumination, or otherillumination.

While several representative examples are described with reference toteam sports, the disclosed methods and indicator can be applied to otherrecreational, commercial, occupational, and other activities. Predictiveand counter-predictive indicators can be applied to apparel or otheritems. In some examples, a single object is provided with one or morepredictive indicators and/or counter-predictive indicators. Theseexamples are not to be taken as limiting, and we claim all that isencompassed by the appended claims.

1. An article, comprising at least one activity-specific dynamic visualindicator.
 2. The article of claim 1, wherein the dynamic visualindicator is a counter-predictive indicator.
 3. The article of claim 1,wherein the dynamic visual indicator is a predictive indicator.
 4. Thearticle of claim 1, wherein the dynamic visual indicator is situated toestablish an apparent axis that is tilted with respect to acorresponding actual axis.
 5. The article of claim 1, further comprisinga second dynamic visual indicator, wherein the first dynamic visualindicator is a counter-predictive indicator and the second dynamicvisual indicator is a predictive indicator.
 6. The article of claim 5,wherein the article is a team uniform.
 7. The article of claim 1,wherein the article is a team uniform.
 8. The article of claim 7,wherein the dynamic visual indicator is situated to obscure a hip angle.9. A method, comprising: selecting at least one activity-specificdynamic visual indicator; and applying the selected dynamic visualindicator.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising applying theselected dynamic visual indicator to an athletic uniform.
 11. The methodof claim 9, wherein the dynamic visual indicator is selected based onmeasured activity-specific responses to the dynamic visual indicator.12. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one dynamic visualindicator is a predictive indicator.
 13. The method of claim 9, whereinthe at least one dynamic visual indicator is a counter-predictiveindicator.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one dynamicvisual indicator is associated with an apparent orientation of an objectaxis.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the dynamic visual indicatoris applied so as to provide an apparent object axis that is tilted withrespect to a corresponding actual object axis.
 16. The method of claim9, further comprising selecting and applying a second dynamic visualindicator, wherein the first dynamic visual indicator and the seconddynamic visual indicator are selected and applied as a predictiveindicator and a counter-predictive indicator, respectively.
 17. Anarticle of apparel, comprising: an axis associated with a body axis withthe article as worn; a first region in which a first visual indicator isdefined; a second region in which a second visual indicator is defined,wherein the first region and the second region are situated along and onopposite sides of the axis.
 18. The article of apparel of claim 17,wherein the axis is associated with a wearer's waist.
 19. The article ofapparel of claim 18, wherein the first visual indicator has asubstantially larger visual impact value that the second visualindicator.
 20. The article of apparel of claim 17, wherein an axisdefined by a visual center of the first visual indicator and a visualcenter of the second visual indicator is substantially tilted withrespect to the body axis as worn.
 21. The article of apparel of claim17, wherein the axis is associated with a longitudinal body axis, andthe first visual indicator has a substantially larger visual impactvalue that the second visual indicator.
 22. An article of apparel,comprising: a visual indicator situated at a body axis in an as wornposition, the visual indicator comprising a first edge that issubstantially tilted with respect to the body axis as worn.
 23. Thearticle of apparel of claim 22, wherein the first edge comprises aplurality of edge segments that are substantially tilted with respect tothe body axis as worn.
 24. The article of apparel of claim 22, whereinthe visual indicator comprises a second edge that is substantiallytilted with respect to the body axis as worn.
 25. The article of claim24, wherein the first edge and the second edge comprise respectivepluralities of edge segments that are substantially tilted with respectto the body axis as worn.